MG408 The Graduate Challenge CW2

This report focuses on the reflection of three challenges i.e. t-shirt challenge, presentation challenge and apprenticeship challenge that angles towards their business related situations branding and financing. In every challenge, the reflective analysis of skills that we had achieved and developed such as presentation skills, emotional intelligence, better communication, time management, teamwork and other business skills are explored. There is a comparison to the previous knowledge and skills I acquired and the required skills of these challenges. There is a explanation of my previous skills and knowledges that are used in these challenges. Moreover the lessons and skills acquired during these challenges will also be mentioned in this report and what improvements are required will be suggested. There will be an action plan that will help me to achieve better results in future.

The Graduate
Challenge

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................1
Analysis of Challenges....................................................................................................................1
T-shirt Challenge....................................................................................................................1
Presentation Challenge...........................................................................................................1
Interview Challenge................................................................................................................2
Discussion of Skills/Reflection........................................................................................................2
Communication Skills............................................................................................................2
Teamwork...............................................................................................................................3
Time Management..................................................................................................................3
Business Skill and Competencies Development....................................................................4
Action Plan.......................................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
This report focuses on the reflection of three challenges i.e. t-shirt challenge, presentation
challenge and apprenticeship challenge that angles towards their business related situations
branding and financing. In every challenge, the reflective analysis of skills that we had achieved
and developed such as presentation skills, emotional intelligence, better communication, time
management, teamwork and other business skills are explored. There is a comparison to the
previous knowledge and skills I acquired and the required skills of these challenges. There is a
explanation of my previous skills and knowledges that are used in these challenges. Moreover
the lessons and skills acquired during these challenges will also be mentioned in this report and
what improvements are required will be suggested. There will be an action plan that will help me
to achieve better results in future.
Analysis of Challenges
T-shirt Challenge
In every business, the company should have creative insights to market and promote their
products. When a company looks towards starting a market by bringing up a new product, the
company needs to market their brand in such a way that it effortlessly catches the potent
customers (Anderson and Tomlinson, 2021). In this challenge we had been through a group
activity to decide the type of t-shirt according to the type of demographics of the people and their
needs. We ad done this in order to understand the best way to advertise and brand the product to
promote it in most efficient way. The process of acquiring, printing and selling the t-shirts has
costed financial amounts on our group members. We have calculated how the t-shirts had to be
sold, so that maximum profits can be generated and recover the used money. The advertisement
was also important to advertise our product, and this was done by wearing the t-shirt with our
logo and a good speech to present the product practically in front of public.
Presentation Challenge
Presentation is the part of making the image of the product in the market and how the
consumers would perceive the brand (Arsenault, Heffernan and Murphy, 2021). It means that we
had to present the products in front of the customers with the help of a better brand ambassador.
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For this purpose a company such as TESCO can produce quality products by investing money in
an outside specialised company to produce quality products instead of producing in-house low
grade products. Moreover, during this challenge, we managed our activities as a team and
prepared a PowerPoint presentation to show the ideas of our brand to educate and persuade the
audience to buy it. We presented our PowerPoint by our individual views to cover maximum
aspects by distributing our work, and this helped to cover all the views of public regarding a
product.
Interview Challenge
The third challenge focuses on bringing people who enhances the performance of the
organisation (Beasley and et. al., 2021). For improving organisational performance, choosing
best possible candidate that adds-to the performance and working of the organisation is
necessary. We learned that organisations could hire anyone, but the fact is that hiring of
effective and suitable candidates is necessary for which the interviews are conducted. This can be
done with the help of strategic interviewing and structured fair selection process (Deeb and
Winegar, 2020). We have known the importance of selecting the candidate according to the man-
power requirements of the company and what questions are being asked to select them. With the
help of the role play we have experienced the in-room environment during the interview process
and how we should take part in the interview to crack it. Moreover, I understood that company
needs to go through interview procedure of the section and for this purpose of interviews
concisely formed groups of managers are entitled.
Discussion of Skills/Reflection
Communication Skills
Communication is the ability of individual to express themselves and understand other
people with the help of verbal and non verbal ways to exchange information (Findley, Isralowitz
and Reznik, 2021). In the above challenges and tasks I understood that communication is very
important to impress the recruiters during the interview process. For better communication we
need to be a good listener too that helps to interpret the question and answer them in the best
logical ways. As the graduate job explorers we need to show our excellent communication to get
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through the interview and selection process. In the t-shirt challenge we needed to communicate
by non-verbal means to demonstrate the product to the people so we have to perfectly use noon-
verbal techniques to promote our product. We designed our product logo which was eye-catching
for the customers and with the help of description and presentation challenge I also showed
excellent communication techniques. I learned that communication should be effective to
demonstrate the product during the PowerPoint so more customer values can be satisfied and the
communication reaches their core of heart and cerebrum.
Teamwork
The Team work during the t-shirt challenge was seen when all our group members were
working together to achieve success. The team members were working in collaboration to
achieve the success in conducting financial operations, t-shirt production, designing and
marketing strategies that were needed to make the product success. All the team members
worked together in collaboration according to their tasks assigned to make the best effects in the
challenge (Garcia, 2021). During the presentation challenge I experiences a better team work
among all the group members. In this, we all were distributed with our tasks according to our
specialisation so we bring out best results and prepare a wonderful PowerPoint. We all were
assigned our tasks to prepare a PowerPoint that should be covering all the aspects of consumer
attraction for making their brand/product more powerful for the customers. During the Interview
round we utilised all our abilities and as a team we contributed to conduct a better interview
rounds that helped us to learn how the interviews occur and how we should get through it.
Time Management
Time management and better presentation skills were obtained when I went through the t-
shirt challenge. Where I had to instantly demonstrate the product, spread message and bring the
brand's values to customers in a very short duration. Time management was required to present
the PowerPoint in such a manner that is not very much complicated and does not take much time
to be demonstrated. This helped us to prepare a more effective PowerPoint that seemed more
interesting and draw customer's attention (Goldberg, Matsuno and Beemyn, 2021). PowerPoint
was developed by us that was very powerful and it could propel the attention of most of the
people towards it and at last help to increase the demand of a product. During the interview
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challenge the time management was required, when I had to prepare the interview round as the
manager. For this purpose I needed to strategically utilise the time to prepare the interview and
conduct interview rounds on time so, the process could be competed in determined time duration.
Business Skill and Competencies Development
During the t-shirt challenge the business skills were required, mainly at the time when we
we have to develop a financial plan that is a crucial part of every business Secondly, during this
challenge we developed marketing strategies which could help to be a better marketeer for the
company and develop career in that field. The business skill related to product designing and
promotion were also developed that is a part in every business.
During the presentation challenge the business skills such as the management and
leadership were also required to develop a image that would help to garner maximum potents
(Jones, 2020). During this challenge meeting skills were also developed when we had to make
communications with the audience to manage their needs and address their problems and
feedbacks.
The Interview challenge helped to develop business skills like recruitment and selection
that is a crucial part in a business and is performed in all the organisations. The interview
challenge helped to develop this business skill which is also helpful to manage people during the
recruitment process and helped to learn the process of recruitment and selection.
Action Plan
I have learned the areas that are required to be a better product designer, finance manager
and marketing personnel. I learned that team management is a vital part that is required to
complete any of the tasks in a business environment and I need to achieve it. I need
communication skills to handle people and address the products and services to the people.
Moreover, I noticed that time management is important for me to complete tasks before the
deadlines and create best results on time.
For this Purpose my future action plan will be
S (Specific) to ensure that I polish my communication, team work and other business
skills via various skill development programmes and seminars.
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M (Measurable) I would ensure certification for the courses with the markings and
performance analysis report after completion of these skill development
programmes.
A (Attainable) The internal and external tests for training and development programs would
ensure that I achieve success in attaining these skills.
R (Realistic) The certification would validate my skills in various fields.
T (Time Bound) Time Management Six Months
Team Work Six Months
Communication Six Months
Business Skills During Training and Development
CONCLUSION
In conclusion to this reflective report it had been identified that there are various skills
that are required by an individual to be a professional person. These skills are team-management,
communication, teamwork, business skills, leadership and may more that are required for various
purposes in an organisation. During the various challenges it had been learnt that there are
various requirements to carry out any product such as product design, promotion, financial
planning and marketing. The report helped to understand and analyse the business skills that are
required by an individual and for that purpose an action plan is also proposed.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Anderson, V. and Tomlinson, M., 2021. Signaling standout graduate employability: The
employer perspective. Human Resource Management Journal, 31(3). pp.675-693.
Arsenault, A. C., Heffernan, A. and Murphy, M. P., 2021. What Is the Role of Graduate Student
Journals in the Publish-or-Perish Academy? Three Lessons from Three Editors-in-
Chief. International Studies, 58(1). pp.98-115.\
Beasley, E. and et. al., 2021. Standardized applications for genetic counseling graduate
programs: Opinions of program directors. Journal of Genetic Counseling.
Deeb, L. and Winegar, J., 2020. 2. Making It through Graduate School. In Anthropology's
Politics (pp. 53-80). Stanford University Press.
Findley, P. A., Isralowitz, R. and Reznik, A., 2021. Graduate Social Work Students’ Knowledge,
Attitudes, and Beliefs About Medical Marijuana. Journal of Social Work Education. pp.1-
9.
Garcia, R. D. C., 2021. The role of the academic relations of former graduate students in
university-firm collaboration. The Journal of Technology Transfer. pp.1-25.
Goldberg, A. E., Matsuno, E. and Beemyn, G., 2021. “I Want to Be Safe… And I Also Want a
Job”: Career Considerations and Decision-Making Among Transgender Graduate
Students. The Counseling Psychologist. p.00110000211037671.
Jones, C., 2020. The post-graduate years. In How to Become an Entrepreneurship Educator.
Edward Elgar Publishing.
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